Losing the baby weight the healthy way

For any of you that know me, you have probably witnessed, at one time or another, an infamous crash diet or exercise binge I just had to try in order to get that 5-10 lbs off. I have tried everything from the master cleanse for 10 days, to HCG drops, to the cabbage soup diet. And while they all do work in some form or another, the weight always comes straight back if you even look sideways at a carb or go back to some form of normal eating. My plan of attack to get the pregnancy weight off was no different. By the time I was 9 months in I was fantasizing about juice diets, raspberry ketones, muay thai classes and back to back high-flying gymnastics stunts that I would start as soon as that little munchkin was out. I had, in fact, gained 50 lbs and it was time to get back to normal.

Well, turns out, there were a few key components that stopped this master plan dead in its tracks, breastfeeding and recovery time. Starting with my diet, I could execute none of these quick (yet very unsustainable) fixes because my nursing requirements were even more intricate than my pregnancy diet and everything needed to be well balanced so that Kayden was getting the right nutrients. I wasn’t allowed to focus on one food group such as I would need for a juice diet, and I was also definitely not allowed to ingest any strange appetite suppressants because they would most certainly get passed to the baby through my milk! It was also nearly impossible to go on a crash diet when your body is already reeling from childbirth, hormones, nursing, and taking care of that little bubby who is up at all hours of the night needing that all too important breastmilk. Plan foiled!

I also couldn’t go straight to boot camp, bikram yoga, soul spin, barre method, insanity (yes, that one definitely hurts, I tried it 2 years ago) because frankly I could barely walk and my incision was painful for at least 6 weeks after my surgery! Foiled again!

So I did what I hadn’t tried in years, an exercise in serious patience, and started eating right and exercising in moderation. Mod–er–a–tion, I say it slowly because this is a strange word for a person like me who demands instant gratification. But there was no other choice, so at around month 3, I headed back to the gym and revised my eating habits, cutting out all the waffles and cookies I had indulged in while I was pregnant. I said goodbye to my dear white flour, tons of sugar, see you later, pasta every other night, I will miss you but we need to go our separate ways. It was lean meats, lots of veggies and some fruit, grains and 100% whole wheat. At first it was absolutely brutal, all I wanted was my comfort food and to lay around while eating it but eventually your cravings change and you get back on the horse!

As for the gym, it was difficult showing up in workout clothes that barely fit, in the middle of summer, where everyone else is tan and svelte and you look like you have been in an underground bunker for the last few weeks with rolls bulging in weird places, but it had to be done. At first I could only go to the gym for short spurts and was winded after a 20 minute elliptical session. But day by day I was able to build up my strength and I am now happy to report that I am working out 5 times a week. I try to switch it up by doing boot camps, TRX classes, spin classes, weights, and cardio throughout the week. This has truly become my new happy hour. Instead of my beloved downtown wine bars I once adored I now plug into spotify and for one hour a day I forget about diapers and I lose myself in my headphones! And to be perfectly honest, I love it! My new role as a mom, a calmer healthier lifestyle, and fitting back into my clothes has left me happy and fulfilled!

Upcoming in January: I am starting a very exciting 30 day clean eating program and will be giving updates on how it’s going and what’s really working! Stay Tuned!

One Response to Losing the baby weight the healthy way

Thanks for the inspiring post! Just had my baby 3 weeks ago by c-section too and put on a total of 40 pounds! Post-partum, I have 20 pounds to go to be back on my pre-pregnancy weight and had all sorts of crazy ideas like training fr a marathon, insane diets and etc. This article really speaks to me! I will press on! You look GREAT!! 😉